Reclaiming My Broken Mate

Chapter 3

Celeste's pov

“Thank you, Celeste. It looks stunning. I can’t wait to show my mate,” Sheila said, smiling at the dress I had made for her.

I smiled back, feeling a sense of satisfaction in my work. Sheila and her mate had been together for nearly forty years, though neither of them looked a day over forty. I knew better, though. They were probably closer to seventy, but wolves age differently than humans. Our lifespan is a mystery to most. There are rumors about alphas living to nearly two hundred, though no one ever speaks openly about it.

“Oh, dear, I’m sorry,” Sheila suddenly said, her smile faltering.

“What are you sorry about?” I asked.

“I said mate. How callous of me.”

I waved her off, dismissing the apology.

“Don’t worry about it.”

“You’re not upset?”

“No, I’m not upset every time he comes here. Why should I be?” I answered, trying to keep my tone light.

Sheila seemed unsure, but I wasn’t about to explain the secret visits I knew Zayden made, sometimes twice a year, sometimes more. He never came to see me, though I was always aware of his presence, even if only for a moment. I wasn’t sure if he visited more often, but the thought barely registered. He had his reasons, and they didn’t involve me.

Franny had confirmed what I already suspected—Zayden did show up, but I’d never actually seen him myself. It was always just whispers from my parents, secret conversations too quiet to fully hear.

They acted like their secrecy even mattered, but Franny had been clear—no matter how much they whispered, nothing changed.

“I just remember how hard it was for you when you first arrived,” Sheila said softly, her eyes full of sympathy.

My heart ached, and I moved toward Sheila, taking her hands in mine.

“It’s fine. I don’t even know what it’s like to be mated or to have what you and Thomas have. Trust me, I’m so happy for you.”

I pulled her into a gentle hug. “Good luck tonight on your anniversary,” I added, my tone sincere but light.

Sheila squeezed me softly in return before pulling back. “I will, and I have to say, you were right about this lip gloss. It’s spicy. I love it.”

As Sheila left the shop, I exhaled in relief. Zayden's nearby presence stirred my wolf's agitation. Revenge, not reconciliation, was on its mind. Seven years of painful recovery hadn't erased the scars. The Silver pack's love and acceptance had healed me, but memories of Zayden still lingered. I recalled the tears, frustration, and grief over a man I barely knew and circumstances beyond my control. Those wounds still felt raw.

It had been senseless to cry over someone who never cared, and yet the pain had been so damn real.

I hated crying. I hated the feeling of being hurt, of weakness, and the endless ache of loss.

Eventually, the tears stopped. I buried the pain deep down, and it became something I could live with.

“Hey, girlfriend,” Franny said, stepping into the shop and breaking my thoughts.

I smiled as my best friend walked in, never failing to surprise me.

“Sheila looks mighty fine,” Franny remarked with a grin.

I nodded. “It’s her and Thomas’s anniversary, and she wanted to do something special for him.”

“That’s sweet,” Franny said. “Don’t you think that’s sweet?”

“I do, actually,” I replied, feeling the genuine warmth in my voice. “So, what brings you by?”

“I came with a warning,” Franny said, her tone serious.

“Warning?” I raised an eyebrow.

“Your mate—”

“He’s not my mate,” I interrupted, cutting her off.

Franny opened and closed her mouth, clearly taken aback.

“What?” I asked, my voice sharp. “How can someone who rejects you and banishes you so he doesn’t have to look at you be your mate? Did I ever tell you that we’ve never even kissed? Just by looking at me, he didn’t want me. That man is not my mate. That man is nothing to me.”

The smile on Franny’s face faltered as she looked at me. “You’ve never said anything like that before. Are you okay?”

Exhaustion swept over me, and I collapsed into a chair, the weight of my emotions pressing down on me. “No, I don’t think I am.”

Franny didn’t hesitate. “Anyway, what’s going on with Zayden?”

I paused for a moment, gathering my thoughts before answering. “He hasn’t left, and, well, I think he and my father are actually heading over here right now.”

Franny reacted immediately, shooting to her feet so fast I could barely believe it. I followed suit with a sigh, ready for whatever was coming next.

Sure enough, seconds later, Silver, along with Zayden, stepped into my shop. A wave of frustration washed over me. I wished I had a bustling shop filled with clients to hide behind, but today was unfortunately slow.

Saturdays were rarely quiet, but with a new stock delivery and the pack ladies not expected until Monday, I had some time to set everything up.

Being banished to a pack I didn’t know anything about, unable to see my parents, and still unsure of why my mate had rejected me, had made blending in difficult.

But I had done the best I could, creating beautiful displays in my shop window and around the store to give the pack ladies something to admire when they came by.

I gave a small bow of my head when I saw Silver, offering him respect due to his position.

Zayden’s low growl reached my ears, and I felt my skin tighten. My wolf was pleased by the show of disrespect—it was directed at Silver, not Zayden. I would never acknowledge Zayden as my alpha again, not after what he had done.

“Hello, Celeste,” Silver greeted me. “I know how busy Saturdays can be, but I also heard about the new shipment. My mate is talking about it.”

I forced a smile. “Yes, I’m about to get it all set up.”

“I was hoping you and I could have a talk,” Silver said, then turned to Franny. “Would you please show Zayden the sights?”

Franny looked confused. “Me? You want me to be nice to him?”

“I want you to do what your father and Alpha have asked you to do.”

Franny groaned. “Oh, man, you used the ‘father’ and ‘alpha’ card. Damn it. Come on, at least be glad Daddy used those words.”

“Silver!” Zayden barked, clearly not pleased.

“Do as I ask,” Silver replied firmly.

I watched the exchange with a sense of detachment. Silver was the one in control here, not Zayden. Zayden wasn’t the boss.

This was Silver’s show.

The shop closed later, with a reluctant Franny and Zayden leaving.

I glanced over at Silver. “Do you need me to cut your hair?”

Silver’s mate had asked me to keep him well-groomed, as he sometimes let his hair grow a little too long for her liking. I was fairly certain that Silver occasionally did it just to annoy her, though it was endearing in its own way.

I didn’t fully understand their relationship, but I could see the love between them. Despite not fully grasping the whole mate concept, I could understand the connection they shared.

“No, not today,” Silver replied, settling into one of my chairs. “Please, take a seat.”

I hesitated but knew it would be better to sit down and hear whatever Silver had to say. I could already feel the tension in the air, and it was only the beginning of the weekend.

“You know everyone in the pack adores you, Celeste,” Silver said, his tone calm.

“And your position here is not in any danger.”

“Okay,” I said, unsure of where this conversation was headed.

“But I also have to consider what another alpha would like.”

I gritted my teeth, holding back a surge of frustration. There were so many things I wanted to say, but I stayed quiet, knowing it was the hardest thing for me to do.

“Zayden wants to take you back,” Silver said, his voice steady.

My eyes widened. “What? No, I refuse.”

Silver sighed. “He is your mate.”

“And he rejected me,” I snapped. “Right at the very beginning. That’s why I’m here. That’s why I don’t know what it’s like to be mated and curious about what I did to make him reject me.”

I hated even acknowledging the truth of Silver’s words, but there was no denying it.

“I am sorry if my pack has been less than welcoming,” Silver said, his tone apologetic.

I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath. “It’s not that. In the beginning, it was difficult, but you and I talked about that, remember?”

Silver nodded, his gaze softening with understanding.

“I don’t want to go with him,” I stated firmly.

“He banished me. Isn’t there some sort of law, I don’t know, where it says no take-backs?”

Silver chuckled softly. “No, there’s no law like that, but I also value your opinion. If you don’t want to leave this pack, then you don’t have to leave.”

I nodded, relieved by his words. “I don’t want to leave.”

Silver’s expression grew serious. “I do want to warn you, though, that I cannot force Zayden to leave either.”

“What? This is your pack. Your rules,” I argued, my voice rising with frustration.

“And getting between a mated couple is not ideal either,” Silver explained. “Until you and Zayden, I had never heard of a mated couple even living separately like you two.”

I sighed heavily. “Yeah, I know it’s messed up,” I muttered. “But we’re not mates.”

Silver looked at me with sad but gentle eyes. “You are mates. You’re just going through a difficult time.”

I let out a bitter laugh. “No. There’s no ‘difficult time.’ We’re not mates. Not anymore.

“So, what you’re saying is, you’re not going to force me out of the pack, but Zayden gets to stay?” I asked, my voice a mix of disbelief and frustration.

Silver sighed, nodding. “Yes, unless he causes trouble, there is nothing I can do.”

I rolled my eyes, the weight of the situation pressing down on me. “You do know this sucks, right?”

Silver smiled softly, his tone laced with empathy. “Is there any part of you that might still love him?”

I opened my mouth to respond, but then closed it, my emotions tangled. “I don’t know,” I said quietly.

Silver’s gaze softened a faint sadness in his expression. “That is... sad. Being with a mate is the most wondrous feeling in the world.”

I met his gaze, my voice steady but filled with pain. “Then take that feeling of finding your mate and imagine she crushed your heart within the next second. That’s what Zayden did to me. He hated me.”

“I don’t think he hates you,” Silver said, his tone reassuring.

I shook my head, the pain still fresh. “He certainly doesn’t love me.”

Silver’s eyes darkened with quiet intensity. “I think you’ve got that wrong.”

I didn’t have the energy to argue about past emotions. Zayden was going to stay, and I couldn’t stop him, but I wasn’t going to make this easy for him.

I would never fall into his arms again without a second thought.